Onshore International Student Transition and Support

Items related to assisting onshore international student transition to UWS will be continually uploaded to report and track our progress during the Cycle 2 AUQA audit process.

International students onshore checkpoints

  1. Expectations management and admission
    • Effective management of expectations in-country, before departure
    • IELTS level used demonstrably enables successful participation in the course concerned
  2. Support — onshore retention tests plus additional, distinctive transition assistance for someone new to Sydney
    • On arrival orientation and support strategies identified by experienced international students as being important in assisting their successful transition into living in Sydney and studying at UWS eg, social support, housing, finances, travel, safety and how UWS works
    • Strategies used to facilitate the on-campus social and cultural integration of international and domestic students
    • Peer mentoring by a student from the same nationality/region
    • Easily accessed and proactive contact by the University. For example provision of an international student hotline, an academic liaison officer or their equivalent
    • Monitoring and support of English language proficiency and academic language skills
    • Evidence of effective benchmarking of International Student Services with those in other universities (that have received commendations in AUQA Cycle 2 audits)
  3. Safety
    • Personal safety
    • Transport safety to and from the campus
    • Campus security
    • Information security regarding privacy and confidentiality
  4. Teaching and Learning
    • Demonstrable evidence that different traditions and attitudes to learning are being taken into account
    • Effective support to help international students learn how to use unfamiliar learning methods and tools
    • Assurance of equivalent academic standards for international and domestic students across campuses and courses
  5. English language proficiency
  6. Role of the International Student Office
    • Clarity about where the International Student Office and staff fit into the University's governance and support systems

Information on additional Cycle 2 checkpoints is available at themes and checkpoints.

Quality Forum (November 2009) (staff login required) - a summary of the discussion, feedback and outcomes.

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